Safety stirrup for horse-riding

Abstract

A safety stirrup detachably connected to the stirrup-leather in order to release the rider's foot in the event of a fall comprises a coupling device having two jaws for clamping the top portion of the stirrup head. A forward pivotal displacement of the stirrup with respect to the stirrup-leather causes rotation of a cam provided at the upper end of the stirrup head. The two jaws are opened-out by a top wedge of the cam through an angle of approximately 30° to 45° while a bottom wedge of the cam increases the separation of the jaws, thus releasing the stirrup.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A safety stirrup for horse-riding comprising a stirrup head having an eye and being attached to a corresponding stirrup-leather by means of a coupling device comprising a retaining element engaged in the eye of said stirrup head and a resilient member for maintaining said stirrup head applid against said retaining element while permitting disengagement of said retaining element in the event of an abnormal pivotal motion between said stirrup and said stirrup-leather, wherein said safety stirrup is distinguished by the following features: (a) said coupling device comprises a resilient clamp having two jaws normally located in planes substantially parallel to the general plane of said stirrup, said two jaws being sized, shaped, and positioned to clamp the top portion of said stirrup head and being provided with bottom retaining noses engaged in the eye of said stirrup head and adjacently opposite one another;   (b) the top portion of said stirrup head has the shape of a cam so designed as to be capable of caussing incipient separation of said two jaws in the event of rotation of said cam about its own axis up to an angle of the order of 30° to 45° approximately, the lower end of said cam being such as to form a wedge corner which is capable of engaging between the bottom retaining noses of said two jaws in order to increase their relative spacing and thus to permit excape of said stirrup; and   (c) the cam which constitutes the top portion of said stirrup head has a flat bottom face which bears on the bottom retaining noses of said two jaws as well as two flat faces perpendicular to said bottom face and parallel to the general plane of said stirrup, said two jaws being normally applied against said two flat faces.   
     
     
       2. A safety stirrup according to claim 1, wherein the one of said two jaws that, in use, is placed so that it faces toward the rear end of the horse has a downward extension in the form of a lug placed opposite to the lower portion of said stirrup head so as to constitute a stop that prevents any rearward pivotal displacement of said stirrup. 
     
     
       3. A safety stirrup according to claim 1, wherein said two jaws are carried by two resilient strips which are joined together at the upper ends thereof and constitute resilient means for maintaining said two jaws applied against each other. 
     
     
       4. A safety stirrup according to claim 3, and further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the value of a restoring force exerted by said resilient means on said two jaws. 
     
     
       5. A safety stirrup according to claim 1, wherein: (a) said two jaws are pivotally mounted together on a common pin and   (b) the safety stirrup further comprises a torsion spring or a pressure spring for maintaining said two jaws applied against each other.   
     
     
       6. A safety stirrup for horse-riding comprising a stirrup head having an eye and being attached to a corresponding stirrup-leather by means of a coupling device comprising a retaining element engaged in the eye of said stirrup head and a resilient member for maintaining said stirrup head applied against said retaining element while permitting disengagement of said retaining element in the event of an abnormal pivotal motion between said stirrup and said stirrup-leather, wherein said safety stirrup is distinguished by the folliowing features: (a) said coupling device comprises a resilient clamp having two jaws normally located in planes substantially parallel to the general plane of said stirrup, said two jaws being sized, shaped, and positioned to clamp the top portion of said stirrup head and being provided with bottom retaining noses engaged in the eye of said stirrup head;   (b) the top portion of said stirrup head has the shape of a cam so designed as to be capable of causing incipient separation of said two jaws in the event of rotation of said cam about its own axis up to an angle of the order of 30° to 45° approximately, the lower end of said cam being such as to form a wedge corner which is capable of engaging between the bottom retaining noses of said two jaws in order to increase their relative spacing and thus to permit escape of said stirrup; and   (c) the top portion of said stirrup head is provided with a top rib of triangular cross-section in which the apex of the triangle is located uppermost so as to constitute a virtual separating wedge, the intended function of said top wedge being to permit ready repositioning of this portion of said stirrup head between said two jaws.   
     
     
       7. A safety stirrup according to claim 6, wherein the cam which constitutes the top portion of said stirrup head has a cross-section of square or rectangular shape apart from the top rib of triangular cross-section provided at the top in order to serve as a re-engagement wedge. 
     
     
       8. A safety stirrup according to claim 6 wherein the one of said two jaws that, in use, is placed so that it faces toward the rear end of the horse has a downward extension in the form of a lug placed opposite to the lower portion of said stirrup head so as to constitute a stop which prevents any rearward pivotal displacement of said stirrup. 
     
     
       9. A safety stirrup according to claim 6 wherein said two jaws are carried by two resilient strips which are joined together at the upper ends thereof and constitute resilient means for maintaining said two jaws applied against each other. 
     
     
       10. A safety stirrup according to claim 6 wherein: (a) said two jaws are pivotally mounted together on a common pin and   (b) the safety stirrup further comprises a torsion spring or a pressure spring for maintaining said two jaws applied against each other.   
     
     
       11. A safety stirrup according to claim 10 and further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the value of a restoring force exerted by said torsion spring or pressure spring.